1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a shield for intercepting leakage from pipe joints and, particularly, to achieve the following:
(1) When leaks occur in joints between coupling flanges causing the liquid being transported to squirt in a jet or stream, to divert the material so that a sprayout is prevented. PA1 (2) To monitor leakage of liquids from the flanged pipe coupling being protected so as to serve as an indicator to workmen to alert them to apply corrective maintenance to the pipe joint. PA1 (3) To increase protection from dangerous chemicals by making it possible to utilize flexible plastic woven cloths enjoying an improved level of resistance to chemical reaction not possessed by metals to which teachings have been limited to date.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, safety shields for flanged pipe couplings have been taught by patents to Matthiessen, particularly U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,113,790; 3,527,479; and 3,850,451. Although such teachings were quite extensive as to the particular structure of a safety shield, their construction is highly specialized and is not capable of taking advantage of recent technological advances particularly the development of certain plastics which have a high degree of chemical inertness with respect to many hazardous substances. Also, the safety shields described were not capable of indicating the existence of a leaking flanged pipe coupling so that maintenance workers could take corrective action promptly. Instead, the leaking condition became known only when the dangerous chemicals overflowed the sides of the safety shield and thereby became visible.